The Southwest Region Planning Commission recently received the Project of the Year Award from the New Hampshire Planners Association for the Monadnock Region Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Challenge.
Accessory dwelling units are residential living units that are within or attached to a single family dwelling, and provide independent living facilities for one or more people.
“The project is part of a broader effort to increase housing stock in the region across a variety of neighborhood types, from a downtown setting to a rural back road,” stated SWRPC Executive Director Todd Horner.
Horner and and Planner Chloe Gross accepted the award at the New Hampshire Planners Association spring 2025 Conference in Enfield.
Matt and Amy Cabana of Temple were awarded honorable mention for their design of a “new freestanding structure” designed by Jill Taro and Dorsa Razi of Warrenstreet Architects.
The Monadnock ADU Design Challenge brought together homeowners, architects and building design professionals to develop ADU conceptual designs tailored to specific Monadnock region case study sites.
According to Horner, the design challenge sought to visualize and raise awareness about how ADUs can help meet a wide range of housing needs under a variety of site conditions.
At the awards ceremony, the NHPA noted the “originality, creativity, and replicability of the challenge,” as well as “transparency and community engagement.”
The NHPA also highlighted the continued interest in the challenge as the case study site model is replicated across the state and beyond.
“With limited outreach, the SWRPC received over 75 case study site applications from ADU-interested Monadnock region homeowners, indicating region-wide enthusiasm for homegrown housing solutions,” Horner stated. “Homeowner applicants expressed interest in ADUs predominantly for aging in place and supporting multi-generational households.”
Eleven homeowners, including the Cabanas, were selected to participate as case study sites upon which design contestants based their submissions.
“These unique, real-life problems presented in each case study attracted architects, designers and students from around the country. The challenge received 25 complete submissions,” Horner stated.
Three $5,000 prizes were awarded to the top conceptual design submissions: “Sugar Onwards” by Hallie Black for Adaptive Reuse of an Existing Structure, “Prairie Addition” by Andrew Schott of Bruce Hamilton Architects for Addition to the Primary Dwelling, and “The Shou Shed” by kcs ARCHITECTS for New Freestanding Structure.
Information about the challenge, including all 25 submitted designs, can be found at swrpc.org/adu.